nacular tongue, whatever that be, if we will not go back and start here, the people, as such, stand still, and are left behind. But truly, on such a subject as that of a liberal education, naturally and necessarily taking its rise from the first tongue in which a people have spoken, and been accustomed to think, embracing too such an aggregate of human beings under the British crown and, after such a detail as the present, meagre though it be, one is greatly at a loss what to say. It has been drawn out, and facts placed in this new light before the intelligent reader, in the hope that they will instantly suggest to many the imperious but pleasing duty of pursuing a course, more congenial with the love of country and the good of Ireland. If these poor dear people wish to have education, and let the reader point, if he can, to that class in this kingdom who desire it more, and if the language is dear to them, as dear ia is, let them have it to their heart's content, and as the only basis, too, of all effectual information and happiness to the Irish mind in its present condition.

Within these few years, it is true, Irish education, properly so called, has been making progress in various districts, which will be afterwards noticed; but still, if a population so large is waiting without doors for instruction, by the only medium through which they can at present comprehend and estimate any moral or religious subject, how can it consist with our highest obligations, for matters to remain in their present state, with regard to schools of a higher description? The bequest of Mr Flood has failed; but, oh! surely, without waiting for any eleemosynary wind-fall, were the enlightened members of Trinity College to take the subject into impartial consideration, something might and ought to be done, whether within or without the walls. To say nothing of the kind spirit which is now abroad as to this language, they have not to proceed against a wind and tide so strong as that which once unhappily prevailed. In some of the Provosts of other days, there is this one object which they prosecuted con amore; and if busts or pictures are desirable, assuredly Bedell and Boyle, Marsh and Hall, deserve them in Trinity College for this alone. When, however, the visitor of any school of learning begins to commend it, for the past pre-eminence or zeal of any of its members in any one department of useful knowledge, there is an awkwardness felt in receiving the compliment. A living re

presentative within the same inclosure, with all the improvements which time has given, is wanted. And, oh! had but a few able men with undaunted constancy only walked in the first foot-prints of Bedell, in what a different state had Ireland been at the present hour. Ere this time we must have had authors upon Irish ground, and in other tongues beside their own, who would unquestionably have contributed to raise the character of this kingdom.

But, independently altogether of a Professorship in Trinity College, or in the City, or both, (for rivalship here would do great good,) there certainly ought, at all events, to be at least one fine school in Dublin, where Irish should be taught thoroughly, grammatically, and with taste, as a normal or model school for the country; and not only so, but in Cork, Limerick, and Galway, for the benefit of surrounding districts, there ought to be one of a similar description. This, however, will be glanced at again, after we have noticed a subject of still greater importance,- -one which, had it been regarded, would have produced, as only one effect, all that for which we now plead, and the English language also, naturally a favourite theme with many in Ireland, must have acquired an ascendency very different from what it has done to this hour. However strange it may seem to some ears, I refer to Irish oral instruction, or Irish preaching, a subject which, in the present state of the country, deserves the most deliberate and serious consideration.

SECTION III.

ORAL INSTRUCTION;

Including Historical notices of all that has yet been effected in Preaching to the Natives in their vernacular tongue, and the present condition of the Country with regard to a stated Ministry in the language of the Irish people.

READING one day an account of Ireland, of comparatively recent date, and considerable value, when referring to some of the Irish gentlemen resident in certain parts, who are able to speak in Irish and converse with the people, I found the writer add, in passing, that they are thus able not only to "ascertain their wants, but to assist with their advice, and restrain by admonition."

Any man, therefore, who, in these parts, cannot thus talk, let his profession be what it may, it seems cannot well do any thing of this sort―cannot ascertain these wants-assist with this advice or restrain by this warning. I not only understand, but, in some degree, can confirm this remark, having, when in the country, tried the effect of only two or three words in Irish, and the response was immediate-they had reached the heart.

But then there is such a thing as the care of the soul,— there are wants of greater moment than any which relate to this transitory state of being,—there is advice, which may prepare for a dying hour,―admonition, which may avert dangers beyond it: and if Irish is necessary for the good and the comfort of these our countrymen, as peasantry, I presume it will not be denied that it must be much more so, when they are regarded not only as rational and intelligent, but accountable beings. But if so, to every minister of Christ, standing upon Irish ground, this is an important and serious consideration. "Not having been able to speak Irish," must another day be re

garded as a poor apology; and if there is to be such a thing hereafter as the confronting of parties for the purpose of conviction, or the establishment of criminal neglect,* the ability of Irishmen in higher walks to converse with their dependants on the affairs of this life, may well be pondered by those whose duty it is, through the same medium, to rest and expatiate on a life to come." But for the present, sat verbum sapienti; I forbear to add more, and proceed to facts.

It is rather a singular circumstance, that at such a remote period in the history of Ireland as the fifteenth century, in the year 1483, we find a Bishop of Dublin petitioning parliament to relieve him from the inconvenience which its outlawry of the Irish tongue had occasioned; nay, he succeeded in obtaining a statute to be passed, which explains the inconvenience. It shows, that because the English clergy were ignorant of the Irish tongue, the cure of souls in some parts of his diocese, in the very neighbourhood of Dublin, was “piteously neglected ;" and it enacted, that he should have liberty to present natives to certain of his livings,- -a thing which, at that time, under Richard the Third, was contrary to the statute law. The liberty here granted, however, was to last only for two years, which turned out to be the close of Richard's usurpation. It is true that, in this early age, so far as the performances of public worship were concerned, an ability to hold conversation with the inhabitants was not requisite, as the service was conducted in Latin; and yet it appears, from this application, that ignorance of the vernacular tongue was even then regarded as injurious to the interests of the natives; so that the first testimony thus given, let it be observed, comes to us at a period previous to that which has been styled the Reformation.

I have spoken of this period as early, since it is nearly three hundred and fifty years from the present day; and it will remain for the reader to notice, whether the grievance referred to has ever been redressed. But there is another point of view in which such an incident should be observed, and that is with reference to the ages which had preceded it. It was now more than three hundred years since Henry II. had invaded Ireland,

* Matt. xii. 41, 42.; Ezek. xxxiii. 8.; Prov. xxiv. 11, 12.

Stat. 2 Rich. III. c. 10.

yet it should seem as if the Irish language were still almost universally prevalent. Whatever scepticism may still exist as to earlier ages, therefore, if the precise extent to which the Irish tongue was then spoken can be ascertained, it seems proper that the reader should here be apprised of it before proceeding farther. The Irish septs or clans, it is admitted, 66 were still unconnected, and their attention confined to their local interests. Several lived peaceably in the English counties, but others maintained an independent state even in the very neighbourhood of Dublin."* Now, with respect to the language, there is a treatise or discourse in manuscript, extant in the library of Trinity College, in which the affairs of Ireland are copiously examined, the date of which cannot be later than the year 1494, and the researches of the author have been subsequently pronounced to be accurate. He recounts no less than sixty regions or districts, of different dimensions, still governed by Irish chieftains, according to their ancient laws and manners, together with a long catalogue of English, who had degenerated and renounced obedience to the English law and customs in the several provinces. The Pale, as it has been called, he confines within the narrow bounds of half the counties of Uriel or Orgiel, Meath, Kildare, Dublin, and Wexford, that is, in fact, only a narrow stripe of territory along the east coast, from about Newry to Wexford,—and yet the common people of even these districts he represents as conforming to the Irish habit and language. The truth is, that the intercourse with the Native Irish, by fostering, marriage, and alliance, was general, the Lord Deputy himself having set the example. The remedies proposed by this author I need not specify, my only object being to glance at the extent of the Irish language, more than three hundred years after Henry the Second. Many of these remedies, however, were afterwards tried, as the discourse itself is said to have been presented to the King (Henry VII.) and his council.

Forty years later, the wide extent, if not universal prevalence, of the Irish tòngue is manifest, from the terms of a parliamentary statute. It was passed in 1537, the 28th year of Henry VIII., in which, bent only upon extending the

* Leland II. p. 68. + Pandarus, sive Salus Populi. MS. Trin. Col. Dublin.